Chunky.

Number Ten: There’s a new Call of Duty (Naturally)
What an enormous shock, the new console will ship with a new Call of Duty- Call of Duty: Ghosts, this one featuring slightly shinier men to shoot at, and a dog you’ll build a ‘close bond’ with – so say goodnight Fido…
It will no doubt feature a Pavlov’s Dogs-style drip-feed multiplayer and be largely identical to its forebears.

Number Nine: It responds to your voice
“Xbox on” turns it on, and the rest is pretty straightforward after that.
It can switch back and forth between games and the console’s many other functions on command – so you’ll be able to look doubly stupid in front of your friends.
(Am I the only one who’ll stick to a controller, thank-you?)

Number Eight: It’s got Blu-Ray
Blu-ray! In your Xbox!
It’d be even better had the PS3 not already got that feather in its cap.

Number Seven: It can do Skype, and picture-in-picture
In its drive to make its games console into a multi-media computer-you-like, Microsoft have teamed up with outside developers to feature their programmes.
This means you’ll be able to Skype using the Xbox One, and keep on gaming or watching a film at the same time, which is cool, I admit – especially for those of us who can multitask (so not me…)

Number Six: It’s a powerful beast (about the same as the PS4 though…)
I won’t go into the details – it’s plenty powerful, and will be able to make games even shinier than before. It’s got plenty of RAM, so it should run smoothly, and more chips than the East End on a Saturday night.

Number Five: Kinect comes in the box (and it might work this time)
Wave-your-arms-a-lot peripheral Kinect is an integral part of the system this time around (not a half-arsed attempt to capitalise on the Wii’s casual gamer market.)
Hopefully this will mean it actually works properly – and Microsoft believe it should work in the dark, recognise individual users and have good games for it.
Of course, the fact that it’s always on when the Xbox is on might freak us out a little…

Number Four: 15 new games in year one, eight exclusives
I bet you this shiny sixpence the number of exclusives drops once the PS4 rolls up its sleeves and really kicks off this latest generation of the console war.

Number Three: It thinks it’s a TV
You can plug your Xbox into your digital boxes, and stream live TV from the net. Microsoft have also entered into deals with big sports names to stream live matches.
Of course, you could always just turn over manually using your TV remote.
Rather shortsighted, that, Microsoft…

Number Two: Microsoft have ignored their core audience
If there’s one thing the launch showed, its that Bill Gates’ former evil empire has forgotten what the Xbox is – a games console.
While I can see the sense in such a move to push the console as the ‘heart of the living room’, launching without a roster of new titles was always likely to put gamers’ noses out of joint – and it’s gamers who will buy this beast (at a massively inflated price, no doubt).

Number One: It’s going to be tricky to play preowned titles
What was more telling by its lack was talk of pre-owned titles, and backwards compatibility. Microsoft have been deliberately vague about all that, but I wouldn’t hold out hope.
There was also talk about digital rights management, and not being able to swap games with friends, as they’ll need to be installed on the console, and may well link themselves only to that unit.
Time will tell if these fearful rumours come to pass…

So that’s my quick look at the Xbox One – expect a more insightful (and hopefully less sarcastic) examination of the facts at E3 later this year.

Questions Microsoft didn’t answer:

How much will it cost?
When will it be released exactly? (Later this year is the best they can do so far)
Why didn’t you make it look less like a big, black brick?

Read a slightly less sarcastic view about the Xbox One over at James Parry’s blog.

So, when my girlfriend and I had some time off recently, I decided to treat her to a trip to Warner Bros. Leavesden studios, just north of London, and take in ‘The Making of Harry Potter’ – a studio tour offering an insight into the world of Hollywood’s Hogwarts.

Ironically built inside sound stages J and K of the studio site, I was pleasantly surprised to find that far from being a slapdash, overpriced cash-in to the Potter name, WB have put together a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour sure to both please long-time Potter fans and those who only know the movies’ version on the tale.

What was initially pleasing was the ‘adult’ nature of the attraction. This is no childish tour of the magical world of Harry Potter (that’s the theme park in Florida), no, this was a much more interesting look at the nuts and bolts (quite literally at points) of bringing a movie to life.

Opening with a look inside Hogwarts’ famous Great Hall, the studio tour takes in familiar scenes like the potions classroom, Gryffindor common room and the Knight Bus, as well as offering a look at the work that goes into creating each set.

It’s rather odd, in fact, to see the sets so close together – a feeling returned by the actors, who tell their side of the story through videotaped interviews playing around the soundstages.

Aside from the sets, the attraction also takes pains to illustrate the work that goes on behind the scenes – the make-up artists, set designers, producers, model-makers, runners and staff who are the blood of any cinema production, and so often go unthanked – but not here.

The piles of props dotted around soundstage J allow fans to see items made famous by the movies up close – be it the Triwizard cup or wands aplenty – and are astonishing in their detail. You can really see the love and care put into each tiny bit of work, it’s fascinating.

Heading outside towards soundstage K, the tour takes in a number of familiar sights, such as Privet Drive, the Hogwarts bridge and numerous other well-known scenes (some of which I’ll leave for you to discover, and one which is sure to take your breath away).

However, inside soundstage K is where the real magic happens – the ‘creature shop’.

In here the magical beasts of Harry Potter come to life, from dragons to werewolves, all close up and on show – and nicely explained through more cast and crew interviews, including one with diminutive, legendarily good actor Warwick Davis.

The art department get a look in as well, of course, with a brilliant showcase of the concept designs behind each prop and set, and the green-screen set on display offers an informative look at a technology now some 40 years old, but still great at what it does.

Of course, the fact that you can have a go at riding your own broomstick helps.

In fact, the only thing I didn’t like about my afternoon at Hogwarts was the extortionate prices charged for food, drink and keepsakes – but it’s not like I wasn’t expecting captive audience prices.
The Making of Harry Potter is well worth the £29 price tag, offering an afternoon of exploration which is brilliant for Potter fans and families alike.

8.5/10

This movie was brimming with promise, including a number of good plot ideas which would of made a far more entertaining film than this patchy, oddly-paced and largely pointless inclusion to Marvel’s superhero stable.

How good is this poster? Shame the movie didn’t live up to it…

Opening some time after the events of The Avengers, Iron Man 3 sees titular character and all-round badass Tony Stark (the ever-brilliant Robert Downey JR) struggling to come to terms with the events of that movie – and his own murky past.

Suffering from anxiety and supposed post-traumatic stress disorder, the cocky genius-billionaire-philanthropist has been burying himself in his work, designing Iron Man suits at a rapid rate.

Beforelong Stark finds himself personally under attack from an old foe, and is forced into the cold – without his wonderful toys – to find a way to fight back.

This alone could of made a great movie – pitting Stark against the machinations of terrorist mastermind ‘The Mandarin’ (a brilliantly unnerving Ben Kingsley), while he struggles to fight back against both his enemies and his own shattered psyche.

Instead we get a poorly written mess of ambiguous bad guys (with plans to achieve world domination for some reason or other), an irritating kid sidekick and a twist that – while cleverly done – rather squanders everything that comes before it (no spoilers here, kids).

(For the record, this trailer is also extremely misleading, and is completely different to the main plotline of the film…)

It’s this lack of focus which dooms Iron Man 3 to be the worst of the trilogy – there’s simply too little substance to the plot to justify the number of new bad guys and superweapons which make an appearance, and I rather felt the considerable acting muscles of the principal cast were just… wasted.

All the old guard – Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle and Downey Jr himself – put in fine performances, and the considerably outlandish situations the characters keep finding themselves in allow for some zingy one-liners and excellent character-building tension. This, however, pales when the real meat of the film is such a mess of wasted plot ideas.

As a conclusion to the Iron Man trilogy (for now) Iron Man 3 lacks the dramatic punch of the first chapter and enigmatic villains of the second, and falls far short of the greatness it could have achieved – had director Shane Black focused on one story and not attempted to cram in as many angles as possible.

Sure, there’s plenty of action and a smattering of the series’ trademark wit, but rather than using the quieter moments to explore Stark’s shattered psyche, you’re far more likely to spend your time trying to fill in the huge plot holes spattered through the movie’s lengthy run-time.

Iron Man 3 feels like a missed opportunity for a truly great superhero movie. What could have been the redemption of a shattered Tony Stark plays out more like a farce at points, and despite the glossy CGI there’s very little meat on the bone. It’s all style, no substance.

5/10

For an alternative (and rather glowing…) second opinion, check out fellow hack James Parry’s review at This is Entertainment.

Why are Native Americans called Indians?

Casual racism/confusion.

Why are Oranges called oranges?

BECAUSE THEY’RE ORANGE!

You needed Google to answer this? Really?!

Goodness me, who on earth would ask that of Google.
Though admittedly, if you’re trying to find out where the word ‘orange’ originated, you’re going to need a better mind than mine…

Why are People racist?

A combination of upbringing, societal norms (in some countries), and other factors which influence your thinking – but mostly your parents.
Sadly, it’s something that’s proving difficult to eradicate from the species – fear and loathing of the unknown and the misunderstood are wired pretty deeply into our brains.

Why are Quataris so rich?

Black gold.

Mm. Oily.

Why are Unsaturated fats healthier?

After my recent adventure into healthy eating, I can say with confidence that it’s because….they are.
Something to do with the type of fat being less likely to stick to your piping and clog up your heart, as well as being easier for the body to metastasise.

Why are Vaccines good?

They prevent the spread of diseases which could decimate the population with ease – although an argument could be made for them conversely making us more likely to die of superbugs which evolve to counter vaccination programmes.
Here’s what happens when the programmes are ignored or feared because of media scaremongering.

Why are We waiting?

Why are we waiting?
Why are waaaaaiiitting…?
Why… Why….Whyyyyyy….?
Ask Network Rail.

Why are Xylem cells dead?

I’m going to turn to the BBC’s QI for this one – just substitute ‘I don’t’ for ‘nobody’…

Why are Yawns contagious?

Hmm, deeply imprinted physical reactions to external stimuli?
In fact, i’m pretty sure no definite answer to this one exists!
Why are yawns contagious? They just…kinda…are.

Why are Zebras striped?

Camouflage and evolution – plus their fur patterns are good at keeping them hidden in the tall grass of their African home when the lions come-a-calling.

Surprisingly effective camouflage

So, how did I do? Leave a comment below.

The rules are the same – these are questions from Google starting with ‘Why are…’, and the 26 letters of the alphabet. I have to answer them without any help from books or Google itself, and try not to make myself look to stupid in the process (fat chance)…

Here we go!

Why are Americans so stupid?

Gee, what a great opening question to come up against… Well, stereotypically speaking, Americans are stupid because of the institutionalised education they go through, which makes the US out to be the finest nation in the world, and somewhat glosses over the darker parts of its history.
Also the mob mentality which grows from having to salute the flag and not question authority.
Generally speaking, though, not all Americans are. Some of my closest friends are smart. Not as smart as we British though, of course.
Rule Brittania.

Why are Bananas good for you?

I suspect it’s got something to do with the minerals – iron I believe – that are offered by the world’s most comedic fruit. That and who doesn’t like bananas and custard?
Now that’s the pudding of champions.

Why are Cats so cute?

Hmm. I’m a cat person, despite my allergy to their fur, so I’d probably just say ‘because they are… look!’

Look at that cute little face!… she’s got you right where she wants you…

Awwwwwww!
However, my guess is because they’ve evolved into a symbiotic relationship with humans, and therefore can purr and use those big eyes to manipulate us into handing over treats and the like.
Master manipulators, cats…

Why are Doctors called ‘quacks’?

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say because of the masks worn by the doctors in London during the dark period of the Black Death:

Doctor Doctor… I think i’m a pair of curtains…

Looks a lot like a duck’s bill, does it not?

Why are Emulsifiers added to some foods?

I have no idea. I’m not even sure what an emulsifier is.
That’s probably a bad thing.
Is it to improve the flavour? Could be to make them last longer in the fridge.
Perhaps it’s an unused Daalek vocalisation?

Why are Firetrucks red?

Makes them easy to spot when they’re hurtling towards the danger zone. Also fires tend to be reddish, so it makes sense!

Why are Girls so moody?

Oh boy.
Uh… because they’re wired differently to men, and react differently to the world around them due to a different hormonal make-up and brain chemistry – especially during certain times of the month.

I think… I think it’s best I leave it at that before my girlfriend attacks me.

Why are Human rights important?

They keep the human condition from destroying our race before we even get off this insignificant planet.
Without them, we’d be little more than animals – though granted, sometimes they can be more of a hinderance than a help.
Sounds like an essay question.
Discuss.

Why are Interest rates so low?

Corporate greed.

Why are Jews circumcised?

Hmm. Probably a religious thing – I don’t remember going into much detail about this when I was doing my high school religious education lessons. No, that was all about Passover and foods and the like, less about boys’ little toddlers getting the snip.
Alternatively, maybe it’s for cleanliness – although I know that the benefits of having yourself cut on early on in life have been heavily challenged by various scientific outlets.

Why are Kinder Eggs illegal in the USA?

Irony. Especially as guns aren’t.

They’ve got a point…

But specifically, because of the choking threat presented to the young children of idiotic parents who aren’t keeping a watchful eye on their little bundle of joy.

Why are Lawson called Lawson?

Uh… because Lawson ain’t Lawson if it ain’t Lawson?!
What’s Lawson?

Why are my Nipples sore?

Ah, a commonly asked question, this one. Well:
1 – Because you keep rubbing them and grinning manically to yourself.
2 – You keep involving them in your various kinky evening activities.
3 – You’re regretting that piercing
Or 4 – You’re pregnant. Congratulations!

Part two coming soon!

No, Trekkies, Star Wars is better. Fact.

I was introduced to Star Wars at a very young age by my Dad – I vaguely remember him explaining what a ‘Death Star’ was to me, after we went on the Star Tours ride at Disneyland in Florida.

Hold onto something!

My memories of those early years are indistinct, but I remember C-3PO and R2D2 bickering, and being amazed by all the bright lights and spaceships.

That was the beginning of a love affair with George Lucas’s creation (note- not George himself) which endures to this day.

There’s just something about Star War’s combination of space opera, feudal knights duelling, starship battles and camp comedy that never fails to entertain me – even now, at the ripe old age of 26.

Sure, there have been times when I’ve been put off by the galaxy I grew up with – like that Gungan, or Darth Vader dancing (*shudder*), but I keep coming back to read the stories, and share in the adventures.

I’ve read the books, watched the cartoon series and waxed lyrical about the recent demise of the universe’s once-great videogames.

I’ve commented on changes at my beloved galaxy’s parent company, and the hopes that a new Emperor will bring the Star Wars universe back to greatness.

What is thy bidding, my Master?

In fact, if I were to go on Mastermind, my specialist subject would probably be the expanded universe explored in the Star Wars novels of the late 80s and 90s.

While I sometimes feel that’s a rather sad thing to admit, I have no shame in doing so – Star Wars speaks to my imagination just as strongly now as it did to my 12-year-old self.

In fact, the books – such as the excellent Thrawn trilogy, the X-Wing series, the Young Jedi Knight series, and even the likes of one-off novels such as Truce at Bakura – are some of the best ways to enjoy the Star Wars universe, provided you let your imagination run wild as you read them.

However, I just couldn’t get into the Yuuzhan Vong novels at all. I tried, but something about them put me off. Probably the death in the first book in the series. (no spoilers here, boys and girls).

So, with Star Wars now under a new Galactic Empire, am I likely to keep coming back for more?

You bet your ass.

Happy Star Wars day, and may the Force be with you.

Missed part one? Click here!

Number Five: Star Destroyer (Star Wars: Empire at War)

A grey wedge of destruction and majesty, Star Destroyers are horribly powerful capital ships capable of taking on entire Rebel Alliance fleets without breaking a sweat.

You Rebel scum…

Combine this with Boba Fett, who is great at scouting out maps, and you can have mass fleets of these warships popping up behind enemies and blowing them to cinders.
Intensify forward firepower!

Number Four: Space Marine Dreadnaught (Dawn of War)

What’s more badass than a Space Marine? A half-dead Space Marine in a massive, armoured sarcophagus on legs, armed with rotary cannons and a huge, gnarled metal fist with the power to punch through starship hulls.

Just stick them in a drop pod and watch them hurtle into enemy bases and wreak havoc – pure bliss.
That and they have the best ‘click on’ line ever: “I am ready to serve….again.”

Number Three: Fatboy (Supreme Commander)

Whether defending a base, spawning a tide of new units or driving out of the ocean to blow everything in sight to shreds, the Fatboy experimental mobile factory is a beast of a weapon.

Its four trident plasma cannons can keep up a withering hail of fire, even as its shield and point defence railguns keep aircraft at bay, its nano-lathe constructs new units and its landing pads offer fight support.
I love this unit so much…

Number Two: Kirov Airship (Red Alert 2)

“Kirov reporting”.
Five Kirovs is more than enough to make your opponents sweat. This horrid little number is slow, admittedly, but there’s nothing better for saturating the area with bombs, all while acting as a mobile advertisement for the might of the glorious Soviet empire.

Kirovs, bringing the Motherland to you…

Number one: Commander (Total Annihilation)

Widely considered one of the best strategy games of all time, Total Annihilation was a stand-out title of the 90s, and featured by far the best unit in any strategy game – the Commander.

Stepping through a galaxy gate alone, the Commander is capable of building a huge military-industrial complex in under 20 minutes, complete with defences, factories and powerful units to lead entire armies.
Added to that is the D-Gun on the Commander’s right arm – a weapon so powerful it can destroy any other unit in one hit.
Truly, the Commander is the king of the real-time strategy game.

Honourable mentions

Spider K-Bot (Total Annihilation)
Grenadier (Empire Earth)

Number Ten: Conjurer (Warcraft: Orks and Humans)

I have fond memories of Orks and Humans – in fact, I think it was one of the first RTS games I ever played. I tended to opt for the human side of things, as I had a particular favourite unit – Conjurers.
It wasn’t about his attack powers (which were considerable) it was about how irate the character got if you clicked on him.
Going from “Im here” to “stop clicking on me!”, the Conjurer would eventually lose his temper with the player and set off a lightning storm in his local area, which was plain funny!

Number Nine: Crayven Corporation rotary artillery (Ground Control)

Ground Control hasn’t aged well, admittedly, but back when I first discovered the tactical, sci-fi RTS in 2003, I quickly became absorbed by the game’s clever design and half-decent plot.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom! (pause) Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

That, and the Crayven Corporation’s long-range artillery. Park this beast on a hillside and use a spotter  and you can quickly and expertly demolish anything the enemy have in range – be it a base or a tank column – with the constant stream of shells fired by its Gatling gun-style barrels.

Number Eight: Terran Goliath (Starcraft)

Who doesn’t like massive armoured walkers?
Starcraft’s Terrans have a real doozy of a walker in the shape of the Goliath – a power bipedal tank with chainguns, rockets and attitude. Cram a few of these into a flying transport and drop them out over the enemy base and they’ll total anything within range – a personal favourite tactic of mine.

Guns, missiles and attitude.

Number Seven: Teutonic Knights (Age of Empires 2)

As one of the most popular RTS of its time, Age of Empires 2 had many a memorable unit to offer to keen gamers, but none had such a punch as the Teutonic Knights.
Combining high speed with powerful attacks and some mean abilities, a few squads of these monsters of battle was more than enough to wipe out your enemies bases, units or characters, all with style and shining armour.

Number Six: Progenitor Dreadnought (Homeworld 2)

As an addition to the Hiigaran fleet (which was already pretty damn powerful) the Progenitor Dreadnought brought its massive cannon and sleek styling to the brilliant Homeworld 2.

Granted, the first time the Mothership orders the Dreadnought to fire it shorts out and immobilises itself – but it does get far more useful later in the game – especially when facing off against its sister ship…

Now that was a space battle…

Read part two here!

I don’t tend to watch a lot of TV, as I’m usually out, gaming, at the gym/pool or otherwise engaged in my nefarious plans to take over the world.

One of the few times I do watch TV, however, is between 11pm and 1am on weeknights – during which I’m usually tuned to BBC 3, in order to enjoy the glut of Family Guy/American Dad the Beeb handily sticks on for me and the other 20-somethings who enjoy Seth MacFarlane’s brand of humour.

Ooh, we’re so edgy and yoof-ful…

That said, this is BBC 3′s only saving grace, as I’ve come to realise that almost all of the channel’s other programming is nonsensical, pointless crap the Beeb wastes my licence fee on in order to draw in their imaginary audience of feckless 18-28 year-old idiots.

I mean, ‘Snog, Marry, Avoid’? What the frick is this shite?! Getting a stick-thin Ellie Taylor to publicly humiliate anyone who wants to look a little different isn’t a TV programme, it’s a glorified Victorian freak show.

And yes, while I acknowledge that the majority of the men and women dragged into the 1984-inspired Personal Overhaul Device do need to smarten themselves up, that doesn’t mean they should be forced to do so in such a transparently point-and-laugh way.

Oh no! She wants to be different to the crowd!
CONFORM! P.O.D COMMANDS YOU! CONFOOOORM!

If they want to stagger around Leeds wearing nothing but fake tan and high heels so sharp they could punch a hole in the Earth let them!

Now let’s move on to other ‘popular’ programming the BBC believes the Yoof enjoy – the likes of ‘Barely Legal Drivers’ and ‘Don’t just stand there, I’m having your baby’.

What a load of tosh. ‘Barely Legal’ is a showcase of terrible drivers – but show me a teenager who doesn’t act like an arsehole when they first get their licence and I’ll call you a liar (I used to do drag races in my Mum’s Nissan Micra!).

As for ‘i’m having your baby’, it’s right up there with Jeremy Kyle for its ‘let’s scoff at people’ mission statement, no matter how much the Beeb tries to disguise this through uplifting music and clever camerawork.

Thankfully, there are a few saving graces for the channel, including ‘Live at the Apollo’ and ‘Russell Howard’s Good News’ – shows which treat their audiences as young, yes, but crucially – not stupid.

Edgy, funny, well-written comedy which doesn’t treat its audience like 18-28 year-old dingleberries…

In its efforts to reach out to an audience increasingly able to skip the Beeb for the delights of YouTube or multiple other channels, I feel the BBC has overshot the mark on BBC 3, and turned themselves into something dangerously close to Channel 4′s ‘real life’ documentaries.

These serve only to give the mooing mob a chance to point and stare at something or someone which deserves respect and acceptance, not being singled out as different to get bums on seats.

Even the great misanthropic saint that is Charlie Brooker agrees with me!

No, these days the videogaming industry is a money-spinning monster equally loved and reviled across the world – and here’s my pick of the big ten events that made it what it is today – in no particular order.

The ‘bit wars’
When I was a kid, I caught the very leading edge of the so-called ‘bit wars’ raging in schoolyards across the world – were you for the Megadrive (Genesis, if you’re a Yank) or Super Nintendo?
I was firmly on the Megadrive side, having gotten hooked on Sonic the Hedgehog and Jungle Strike, and shunning Nintendo’s bouncy plumber – a trend that continues to this day.
But, as an event, the bit-wars were a valuable lesson for videogame developers and publishers into the nature of their youthful audience – and how powerful a group of fanboys can be in swinging opinion – and opening parents’ wallets…

Twas the battle ever told…

The Playstation
After an age of cartridge-driven games, the advent of the first reliable disk-driven console was a massive turning point for the console gaming market. Sure, previous consoles had tried the CD route (including the God-awful Megadrive add-on), but it was the Sony Playstation that truly ushered in a new era for console gaming.
Admittedly PC gaming had been running off disks for years, whether floppy or spinny – but this innovation, a cheap (ish), reliable, disk-powered console – would change everything.

Wolfenstein 3D
Divisive, controversial and the first of its breed, Wolfenstein 3D is not always remembered as the forefather of modern first-person-shooters – that accolade usually goes to Doom – but, before the DoomGuy went to Mars, we had BJ Blazkowicz.
While the game looks ridiculous to modern eyes, 3D was the forefather of every modern FPS on the market, and without its silly action and Mecha-Hitler we wouldn’t be able to slaughter sprites as well as we do today.

It doesn’t get more old-school than this

Online gaming
In the early days, online gaming required expensive modems, dial-up connections and the skills of a master programmer – but without those pioneers, we wouldn’t be able to nip online and quietly off American teenagers as they scream racial abuse at us, now would we?
Taking gamers from their bedrooms to the online, worldwide arena, online gaming now an essential part of any major game release, console or PC build.
It’s just a shame it often comes with the foul-mouthed 10-year-olds which infest the internet like a virus…

AAA Titles
As time went by and gaming went mainstream in society, money-spinners realised the amount of cash to be made in big game sales – and so, the big-budget AAA-title was born. Whether this advent in the history of gaming is a point to be celebrated, however, remains to be seen.
I would argue that the lovingly made games of the early years, such as the original Monkey Island, had so much more to offer than the copy-and-paste action of your Call of Dutys and Assassins’ Creeds.
Perhaps developers have lost their way.

Casual gaming
I wouldn’t consider myself a ‘hardcore’ gamer – but I wouldn’t consider myself of the ‘casual’ breed either.
In recent years, housewives, mothers, grannies and more have found themselves drawn to videogaming – and mostly, of course, thanks to the Wii.
No longer is gaming a geeky hobby for guys with no lives – Nintendo have bottled gold with their intuitive motion controller and simple, enjoyable games – a feat Microsoft and Sony have failed to emulate with their rubbish knock-offs.

Nintendo has cracked the casual gaming market, and netted themselves a fortune

Disk to download
In recent years, as technology advanced and bandwidths widened, gaming has gone digital. Services like Steam have proliferated, allowing gamers to download games directly to their consoles and computers, doing away with physical purchases.
It’s a brave new world for gamers and developers alike, but it’s doing huge damage to the High Street at the same time, as well as taking some of the magic away from saving up to buy that new-release you’ve been looking forward to. I expect to see more of this style of gaming as new consoles are released, possibly using streaming gameplay rather than full downloads.

DRM/second hand
In an effort to combat the piracy endemic to the videogaming industry, developers are increasingly turning to digital rights management and other slightly underhanded methods to fight back. While in some ways I see why these actions are necessary, I am one of the legions of law-abiding gamers who gets annoyed at the need to register every time I boot a game, or am forced to always be online (I’m looking at you, Sim City.)
With the rumours of the next-gen Xbox needing to be always online, this new wave of control is likely to get worse.

SimShitty, more like (sorry…)

The crash of ’83
Like the Dotcom bubble years later, the oversaturation of the videogaming market in the early-mid 80s led to an implosion which put gaming back many years, and stilled the development of some great titles. However, it could be argued that while the crash led to the demise of many titles and developers, the industry as a whole learned a valuable lesson along the way – one that it is re-learning as the global recession bites.